Fate's Angels
by achiyli
Summary: It's the age old question. Who, or what, exactly is Mary Poppins? Spirit? Human? Or something else altogether? Find out in this fic!


Somewhere in the English countryside, 1893.

***

The freezing rain slapped against the window pane of the carriage as it bumped about along the dark country road. The woods looked unrecognizable in the dark until a flash of light would illuminate the bare, crooked figures of the forest. The sinister looking trees whipped about the wind, bowing to the great force of nature that blew through the English countryside. All of the country was barren and cold, the product of approaching winter. Even the smell of winter crept into the carriage.

Inside rode a young woman and man, sitting opposite an older couple. The younger two almost seemed to be a reflection of the older. The young woman was slightly slumped against the man on her arm, her weariness of the day beginning to show. She managed to keep her eyes open, and the young man squeezed her cold hands. Opposite her was her mother, slumped against her father. The older woman had fallen asleep. The young woman's father softly pet his wife's hair, watching her sleep with a smile.

"Your mother's beautiful when she sleeps," the young man whispered into the dark mahogany curls of the woman resting on his shoulder. She smiled at the comment.

"I envy her. How can she sleep so? It's such a frightful night, and so very cold. To think we were enjoying a picnic only hours ago," the young woman sighed.

"It seems something nasty decided to blow through. Fret not love, there'll be plenty of more picnics to come," he beamed. She smiled as well, and eyed the beautiful silver ring sitting on her finger with a gorgeous pearl in the middle. "My little pearl..." he whispered, kissing her hair. The young woman's eyes began to close, when a sudden gust of wind rattled the windows. She sat up in fright, no longer wanting to sleep. Her mother somehow slept on.

"I can't stand all this wind. And it's so awfully cold," the young woman whispered, pulling her petticoats about her tightly.

"It's just wind, it can't hurt you," the young man whispered back as he rubbed his fiancé's back to comfort her.

"I don't like it..." she trailed off, listening to the driver shout over the freezing gale. His shouts were indiscernable, but the tone suggested that things weren't going well outside. The carriage began to pick up speed, and the entire cab jostled about. The older woman woke up, and the two couples clung to one another. The driver yelled louder, and the sound of a whip cracking could be heard over the howl of the storm. A brilliant flash of light filled the carriage, followed by a clap of thunder that shook all of England. The horses whinnied, and took off into the dark. A shout of sheer terror passed the carriage in the dark.

"Oh no!" the older woman cried.

"Was that the driver?" the older man cried. The horses whinnied again, and the cab took off even faster than before, bumping about in a sporadic manner down the dirt road.

"What do we do?" the young woman cried, looking into the eyes of her soon-to-be husband. Her whole body was shaking, from both shock and cold. The young man looked into her piercing blue eyes, and knew what he must do. Despite the wind and rain, he flung the carriage door open. Instantly the carriage was filled with the freezing cold and wet from the storm. After attempting to stand up as much as possible in the carriage, he stuck his head outside and tried to grab hold of the rack on top of the cab with one hand. The young woman grabbed the other, and he turned to look at her.

"No! It's too dangerous!" she shouted over the storm. Her pale lavender dress was soaked through; her hair had come undone in wild, wet curls that clung to her cheeks.

"You must be careful!" the older man called, clinging tightly to his shivering wife.

Suddenly another flash of lightning illuminated the world, and the passengers heard the horses buck and whinny. In that flash, time seemed to slow down to the young woman as she watched her tragic fate unfold. The carriage hit a bump and tilted dangerously on two wheels. The young man managed to hold on, but was swaying dangerously above the slick dirt road below as the other passengers clung tightly to the inside of the cab. The young woman could make out in the flash of light that they were headed for a dangerous turn in the road marked by a giant oak tree. Another booming clap of thunder was heard and the wind rose up in a mighty force. "No!" the young woman shrieked as the entire carriage plowed into the oak tree. Then the world fell away into complete darkness and silence.


End file.
